The Hunt for Everyone's Souls
by 0ra0ra0range
Summary: After an encounter with a shadow one misty midnight, Legosi is forced to awaken the power of the wildcard. Soon After, students of Cherryton begin to be hunted by manifestations of their inner darkness, forcing Legosi and friends to fight and seek an end to the shadows' hunt. But can Legosi learn to confront his own dark self? Or will he be yet another quarry caught in its sights?
1. Awakening

Legosi let out a silent yawn as he sat perched outside the Cherryton Theatre entrance, the building surrounded by a thick layer of fog, only the light of the moon breaking through the grey miasma. It was entirely quiet save for the streaming of water from the fountain in front of the entrance. He had been keeping guard out here for a good few hours while Louis-senpai and Zoe rehearsed inside. He didn't really know why he had even agreed to this, he was pretty anxious out of his mind, and had to still get up early for a history test. If anyone came across them here after curfew, he wasn't sure what would happen. He might even be suspended, he was trespassing. They all were. How senpai could be so devoted to the club he couldn't understand, but it was admirable, in a weird way.

He let out another yawn, rubbing his eyes. It had already been a few hours. Zoe had to know the play by memory by now, right? He thought about going in to ask if they were done when something broke the grey monotony of the surrounding fog. In the corner of his eye, a bright blur floated about in the air. He shot his head towards the fountain, scanning the area for movement as he backed away into the shadows for cover, fearing it was security. Over the fountain, mildly blurred by the fog, something glowed with a blue hue. His eyes focused curiously on it. It was a butterfly, a bright glow surrounding it, flapping calmy towards him through the thick fog surrounding it. Its glow seemed to tint the vapour around them, tinting the fog a pleasant blue hue. The wolf admired the strange insect as it flew towards him, fluttering without a care in the world. _Oh how I envy you…_ he thought to himself.

He tried to calm himself down. Surely there wouldn't be anyone out this late, not after the incident with Tem. They still hadn't found who had killed him…

He pushed the thought out of his head. Soon Louis and Zoe would be done, and they could all go back to their dorms and sleep, no trouble. The thought of his bunk made his eyes heavy, and he yawned out again.

Turning his attention to the butterfly again, Legosi had no idea what kind it was. He had never seen anything like it in any entomology dictionary he read before. He was sure he would remember a butterfly that could glow so brightly like this, it was beautiful. The peculiar specimen floated by him, landing on one of the pillars in front of the main entrance. Legosi cursed to himself mentally that he didn't bring one of his bug jars with him tonight. He sighed and pulled out his phone to take a photo instead, and to maybe look up what kind of species of butterfly this was.

The screen read four minutes after twelve AM. He turned on the camera and aimed it at the butterfly, pressing capture. Just as he had hit the button to take the photo, he felt a shift in the air. He shot his head around, scanning the area as he put away his phone. Nothing...yet something felt off in the air. It was faint, but it was there. He could feel a change in the environment on a deep, instinctual level. Yet he couldn't put a finger on what exactly had happened. Everything seemed fine, apparently. Maybe it was all in his head? He was tired after all, maybe his brain is hallucinating, mildly?

Before he could consider the change any further, the sound of shoes scuffing against the cobblestones captured his attention. He rushed to hide behind the pillar, closing his eyes and focussed his hearing and smell.

_Its an herbivore… _He concluded, small, and about...ten meters away. _Not good…_

He peeked out again, surveying from the darkness. He didn't know for sure, the fog was so thick, but maybe the figure had noticed him? He could make it out slightly, near the fountain, looking back from where it came. _Are they running from something…?_ He questioned to himself. _No, they had to have seen me, they're looking around for me. Not good, not good...what do I do?! _His thoughts raced with potential actions. They seemed scared, maybe if he chased them away…

In almost an instant, Legosi had reached his target, leaping forward on all fours and catching the small creature in his arms. She let out a squeak and squirmed in his grip, tensing up against him helplessly.

In that moment, Legosi had come face-to-face with three things...

One: A small rabbit. It shook in his grip, heart pounding like a machine against his chest. She was so small, so soft, and her warm body radiated against his. He liked it.

Two: His feral instincts. Her smell, her tender fur, intoxicated his brain. Dark thoughts began to flow out into his mind, like holes in a sinking lifeboat.

And Three: The shadow that was chasing her.

He peeked over his shoulder, and saw the impossible thing. A mass of black gunk began seeping out from the fountain behind them, overflowing onto the cobblestones, seeping into every crack. A large appendage shot out from the very top of it, forming into a large, clawed hand. It reached out, worming into the sky in an unnatural slither. Like an intestine, the limb pushed a large shape out within its arm, squelching it out of the palm-it was something resembling a mask, the shape of some sort of carnivore-a weasel or something akin to it. The eyes of the mask, empty and dark as oblivion, glared down at their furry huddle.

_What...what is that…?!_ His mind raced, horror spreading out through his mind and body, making his fur stand up and his eyes widen.

The world wasn't the same now, either...the fog was now a deep crimson, and the air reaked a sickly sweet stench that both disgusted and excited his senses. The moon was gone, covered up by darkness-no stars, no light whatsoever. It was what he always imagined hell would look like.

The creature opened the maw of its mask, reaching in with its long tendrilled limbs, latching onto the teeth that rowed it's dark mouth and yanking them out, flipping them in its hands. They were like blades, massive scimitars almost. Its body contorted above them, arms as long as flagpoles looming around the two animals. He could hear the scraping of those razor-sharp blades against each other, like a chef sharpening his tools as he prepares to cook a fine meal. There would be no time to move out of the way or even guard against this thing. It was over. This was it. He was really going to die. Dread filled his chest like blood from a wound, his body paraylized. He clenched tight onto his captive, who was shaking in his arms.

The thing raised its blades in the air, ready to cut them down. He wondered if it would be quick, or if he would be forced to feel the blade slice through his body like a hot knife through butter. It was funny, almost. He was afraid. He never thought he would feel like this in his life. Why would he? He was what everyone feared-Legosi was the boogie man the herbivores dreaded, the thing that feasted on them and their kin.

Now he was the prey, prey to something much darker and incomprehensible. This must've been how Tem felt. Helpless and fearful, dreading what was next. Sorrow mixed with the pooling fear in his heart. He was breathing rapidly.

So was she. Her heart was racing against his chest. What did she fear more-him or the monster behind them about to dice them up? Legosi felt two emotions tear him in two-his fear and his hunger that had been suppressed for seventeen years. He dug his claws into her arm, blood seeping out from the wound onto the cobblestones. They were both going to die, in a moment from now...maybe...

_Do it...feed…_

He gritted his teeth, panting. Instinct washed over him, veins pumping with primal desire. The smell of her blood, the smell of the air, made him almost feel high. Adrenaline pumped into him, speeding through every inch of his flesh.

_You've been holding back for so long…_

Their hearts raced in sync. Her warm body radiated with intense heat. Her flesh, so soft...so tender...so easy to rip into…so-

_Stop it!_ He growled in his head. He wouldn't dare do it. Even when he knew he was about to die, he would not give in. He wouldn't let it take over.

A form approached him in his mind, in front of him. Opposite the monster, which seemed to move in slow motion behind him, he saw a mirror image of himself...dark and distorted.

_You can't hold back any longer…_

_No..._He said back, almost in a whimpering tone. He could feel himself starting to drool, saliva pooling between his teeth as the pressure mounted.

_You've been living in the shadows, quietly, holding yourself back...are you sad? Or maybe, you're frustrated…_

_Get away from me!_ Legosi was sweating.

_No...neither, right? You're actually glad...Don't look away...embrace it…go on..._

_I won't look, I won't...I won't!_ He was showing his teeth, inches away from the small rabbit girl's head. They could crush her like a walnut in a vice. He slid his claws into her forearm, warm blood trickling down into the cracks between the cobblestones. The smell and feel of it...it made Legosi want to...

_Go on...you're ready now. This is where the fun begins…_It let out a twisted chuckle. Legosi's eyes were tearing up, clenched tightly shut, trying desperately not to give in to it. _You're not me..._he let out weakly, losing his will with every passing millisecond.

_Trust your instincts… And feed…_

_I'll...eat you…! _Just was he felt like he was about to lose himself, finally give in and murder a helpless girl, his eyes were drawn to something glowing brightly over them…

The blue butterfly flew above them now, moving gracefully over the huddle of wolf and rabbit. Everything was still slowed down around him, except for that. It danced in the dark red mist, overtaking the blood-like crimson with a soft azul. The voice no longer goaded him. It seemed just as drawn in by the beauty of it as Legosi was.

It spoke again, voice changing from a distorted deepness to a more grounded, surly tone, rough like sandpaper, but comforting compared to what came before it.

_I am thou...thou art I…._ The voice recited.

Legosi felt his heart race like a piston, and his mind focussed on the words. _From the well of thy soul, I cometh…_A trickle of blood flowed down from his nose. His veins flowed with adrenaline,

_I, Hellsing, Hunter of the damned, lend you my strength…Call upon my name...and let us begin the hunt!_

His eyes shot open, glowing bright yellow, bright as stage lights. His veins glowed all over his body, red and fiery with primal wrath. He growled, burning hatred bubbling up from within him, a deep rage hidden away and left to fester. Blue flames formed around his body, burning all around them. A form began to manifest over them, a shadow at first, then filling with color and tangibility. Ragged clothes draped over it, and bloodied bandages wrapped over its visage, hiding its identity from the world. Its face was further obscured by the large brim of its hat, leaving only its snout exposed. A row of razored teeth growled at the monstrosity before it, as if expressing a deep contempt for its kind.

The monster swung down its blade, and the figure named Hellsing grabbed it in its massive grip, claws dark and dripping with the blood of a thousand hunts. The blade cracked, then shattered like glass in the massive canine's grip. He kicked the monster back with one foot, the boots he wore adorned with rusting spikes. Hellsing reached into his long coat, and pulled out a rifle the size of a train car in one hand, and a massive knife in the other. The hunter raised his gun towards the shadow as it struggled it rise up from the ground, and blew a massive hole in its mask, shattering it in a ball of flames. The thing burned up, black smoke rising up into the night sky as the fire consumed it.

The ground shook violently from the shot, as chaotic as an earthquake. Legosi's ears were ringing, and his nose bled like a fountain. He rose up, letting the rabbit go as he turned towards the shadow.

The thing twitched and flailed on the ground, struggling for life, flinging its bladed teeth all around in desperation. Hellsing approached, and kicked the thing into a fine paste, again and again.

Hellsing let out a howl, filled with endless primal rage, and ripped his teeth into the mask of the creature, shattering and swallowing the shards of blue mask with feral glee. The black slime under him began to burn away in a nauseating bellow of smoke.

Behind Legosi, The rabbit was frozen in fear and disbelief. She was panting, wide-eyed, heart racing in her chest so hard she feared her chest would burst. The massive wolf looming over the corpse of the monster faded away in a puff of blue smoke, and Legosi let out a sigh. He turned to the herbivore, nose dripping red, eyes wide in shock.

He put his hand to his leaking nostrils, looking down at all the blood. He then looked to the rabbit's arm wound. "...y...you okay…?" he muttered. The rabbit stared at him, shocked over everything that had just transpired.

His vision began to blur, and he saw the rabbit seem to multiply before him, along with everything else in the world, before he collapsed to the ground, fading from consciousness. From the entrance of the theatre, Zoe peeked his head out, seeing Legosi on the ground, bloody. "Legosi!" He shouted as he ran over to him, trying to shake him awake. Louis followed behind, limping out from the front door of the theatre, struggling not to wince with each step he took. His eyes widened when he saw Legosi on the ground, and the rabbit beside him-Haru. His jaw was agape. Only one thought came to mind: _What on Earth just happened?_

Legosi awoke surrounded by darkness, lying on his back. He sat up, wincing from the pain in his head. His brain felt like it was throbbing against his skull. He looked around, eye gradually adjusting to the shadows. He could make out the details of where he was after a few moments, and found that he was standing on some sort of...stage? Was this the theatre? Did the others take him here after what happened? Speaking of which...what exactly happened? It was so blurry in his mind, but he knew the basic gist, and he knew that it couldn't have been possible. That thing...that large wolf that saved them...that had to have been a dream. He must've dozed off and maybe Louis-senpai and Zoe dragged him here...on stage…? Where were they? Why not just wake him up? Nothing made sense.

Then the lights came on. He was blinded by the bright stage lights above him. He raised one arm to block out the overwhelming brightness of it. He had a clearer view of everything. This wasn't the Cherryton Academy Theatre. The curtains were a soft blue, and so were the seats down below him. The stage was a dark grey wood, opposed to the normal golden brown hardwood floor. A piano tune began somewhere in this theatre, and finally he heard a voice call out to him from the seats.

"Bravo, my dear young man! Bravo!" A thin, higher-pitched voice echoed out from the darkness of the seats. Legosi looked downward to see two figures sitting in the front row. He couldn't make them out too well with the light, but he guessed one was a bird, due to that long beak shape protruding from his head.

"My name is Igor." The beaked figure continued. "Welcome to my Velvet Room."


	2. A Screening at the Velvet Room

_Velvet room…?_ Legosi tilted his head. His eyes began to adjust to the lights shining above, and he could make out the two mysterious figures. The first-Igor, Legosi presumed-seemed to be an ibis bird of some sort, from that long beak. He was older looking, dressed in a black suit with a white handkerchief tucked into one pocket. Most notable to Legosi were those large, wide eyes looking straight up at him. It creeped Legosi out a little, he looked so strange. He averted his gaze and looked towards the second figure-a white owl-a masked owl, specifically-with bright yellow eyes unusual for its species. They were in a midnight-blue coat and dark pants, with a bright blue scarf speckled with gold spots and circles. On the left side of the coat he wore a silver button with a large V engraved on it. Atop their head was a beret, light blue, with a yellow lining around the edge, and a gold tip on top.

"This is my assistant, Albert." Igor gestures to the owl, who nods in greeting to the wolf, smiling warmly. "Good evening." The owl greeted him.

Legosi stared at the two of them for a moment, unsure what to make of all this. "...where am I?" He finally said.

Igor smiled and elaborated: "The Velvet Room-an area housed between the realms of mind and matter, dream and reality. We summoned you here through your dreams-you are safely asleep in the real world."

_Yeah, I probably am..._He reasoned in his head. This was surely a dream. Everything that had happened must have been.

The long-beaked bird continued on. "Generally, only those who have signed a contract in some way can enter this place."

Legosi tilted his head, and in response, the owl, Albert, spoke this time: "In exchange for aiding in the awakening of your persona-and in turn, saving your life-you have agreed to follow the path of your inner voice and accept our services-and the terms thereof." Albert elaborated.

"I'm not really following…" The wolf said.

"That butterfly you were so fascinated with? That's how we did it. I won't go into the fine details of how, but we stopped you from being consumed by your shadow in the knick of time." The owl explained, although Legosi still didn't understand how a butterfly could do all of that-he didn't even know what he meant by 'a shadow consuming him'. This was definitely one of the weirdest yet most vivid dreams he ever had.

"You will not need to understand everything right this moment" Igor spoke again. "All will make sense in due time, actor." He gestured with his hand, and the curtains behind Legosi spread open, followed by the flickering of a white light in the darkness far back in the theatre-a projector flashing an image upon the now-revealed screen on-stage.

"For now, let us provide you only with what you will need for your first trial ahead." The long-beaked bird said as a countdown appeared on screen. The lights dimmed, darkening the stage and clearing up the image above the wolf. The film opened up in black and white to the image of a miniature theatre, similar to that of a puppetry set. The little curtains spread open, showing a puppet hanging from strings-it was clad in a regal outfit, like that of a king or emperor of sorts. Atop its head, an exaggeratedly large crown sat, visibly weighing down on the emperor's head, and even covering up most of its face.

"Life often imitates art, wouldn't you agree?" The bird commented in regards to the film. "These films exemplify that concept-they detail events that have yet to take place, you see."

The emperor desperately pulls at the strings pulling at its limbs in all directions. Despite its resistance, the strings hold firm. They begin to stretch taught, pulling in every direction. The doll's limbs spread out, body being strainfully pulled in all directions. It fights on, uselessly. Its joints start to look visibly stressed, its arms, legs, and head being pulled apart. The doll shakes violently, as if it was a living thing in ist desperate last moments, until it finally gives. Legosi jumps back a bit with a gasp as the doll is ripped apart-limbs, torso, and head flying out with a loud and nauseating snap, wooden body parts dangling limply from the strings. Horrifically, the body parts squirted out with a dark fluid, somehow-obviously blood. The fluid drips down onto the small stage, pooling out all over, leaking down from the front edge.

In the film's final moments, a creature's muzzle peeks out from the curtains in the back-it resembled that of some kind of cervine, Legosi noted. Its tongue slithered out from its lips and licked up the blood sensuously from the stage, before the film flickers out.

Legosi didn't like where this dream seemed to be going. The lights flashed on again, and the wolf turned back to the strange animals in the front row.

"A terrible tragedy lies within your future." Igor stated. "Someone close to you has become the target of a beast-A shadow similar to the one you fought on the night of your awakening. You are entrusted with hunting down this beast and eliminating it, preventing this tragedy from taking place."

_Hunting…? _Legosi thought. Albert spoke: "This task will require you to hone your newly awakened abilities to their highest potential possible. To master your power, you will require our assistance."

"We only ask one thing in exchange for our services…" Igor said, grinning widely. "You must take on full responsibility for the decisions you make on your mission."

Legosi nodded, slowly. "Okay...that's simple enough, I guess." He answered.

Igor clapped, visibly pleased. "Wonderful! Hold onto this." The bird snapped his fingers, and in a brief sparkle of light, a card attached to a lanyard emerged from thin air, looping around his neck, much to his shock. "From this night forth, you are a guest of the Velvet Room. This card will allow you to visit us again in the future."

Legosi looked down at the card, carefully picking it up between two fingers, and examining it: 'VIP PASS: VELVET ROOM.' it said on the front, in bold, silver, embossed lettering.

"We will meet again in the near future. Until then, rest and replenish yourself." The curtains began to close in front of Legosi. "Until next time, Legosi."

_**5/10, Evening**_

Legosi's eyes slowly opened up, the soft light of a rainy afternoon lighting the empty hospital room he found himself within. Rain softly plunked against the windows, the sky a light grey outside. He winced out, his head throbbing as he slowly rose up. He rubbed his eyes and sighed deeply, looking around and wondering why he was here. He saw a bag sitting in one of the chairs on his bedside-Jack's bag.

"Legosi!" Jack's voice called out happily, making Legosi jump back as the golden retriever rushed to his friend's bedside, breaking out into a frantic flurry of questions:"How are you feeling? Does your nose hurt at all? How about your head?! Are you lucid?!Say somethi-" He went on, before Legosi stopped him and told him he felt mostly alright-besides the splitting headache in his head. The dog took a moment to calm down, sighing in relief that his friend indeed seemed alright.

"I'm so happy you're awake, I've been anxious all week-I couldn't stop wondering when you'd wake up. The doctors thought you might've been in a coma…" Jack vented, and Legosi looked at the dog questioningly.

"...all week…?" Legosi muttered out, confusion in his voice.

"Oh, you wouldn't know...sorry, um…" Jack formulated his words, then spoke: "So, there was a sudden earthquake a few nights ago, and you fell and hit your head against the fountain outside the theatre, and were unconscious for almost a week!" Jack explained.

"...almost a week…?" His eyes were wide in shock.

"Yeah. Zoe called me, and we managed to get you to the hospital-we told the school you fell down the stairs and hit your head."

"What day is it?!" Legosi asked, panic in his voice. He then remembered that his pet was in his bag the night of his 'fall'. "W-where's Rhino-chan?! I need to feed him! You didn't leave my bag, right?!" Legosi threw the sheets off of him, trying to get up, but Jack stopped him.

"N-no, no! I have your bag at the dorm-I've been feeding Rhino all week, he's A-Ok, Legosi. I followed your notes and everything." Jack reassured. "Don't stress out so soon after waking up, it's not good for you." The dog insisted.

Legosi signed out deeply, glad his pet was safe. "Thank you, Jack." He said, before the wolf noticed something danging around his neck. He looked down-a lanyard with a blue and gold plastic card on it. He slowly took the card in his hands and read the embossed lettering on the front.

'VIP PASS: VELVET ROOM.' it read...

Legosi felt like he was going to pass out all over again.

The events of that night all flashed through his mind at once-the blue butterfly, the red fog, the blue-masked monster, that giant wolf with a gun…

_The rabbit..._

A deep feeling of shame washed over Legosi. He had never come so close to committing such a horrible act of violence in his entire life. He never really thought he would come so close to even considering such a thing, and yet...

_I...I almost ate her..._he thought, his large, clawed hands trembling. He obviously always knew that, as a wolf, he was capable of that, but never had he faced the true reality of such a thing, until then. It always felt so far away, like something that could never happen to him, as long as he was careful. But that was a lie he told himself. He wanted to kill her that night...rip into her, like she was nothing but a meal. He likely would've, if everything didn't spiral out of control like it did. He felt sick to his stomach just thinking about it, guilt weighing like a boulder inside of him.

And on top of that morbid reality check, he also knew that everything that had happened was all real…what the heck was he supposed to do now?

"Legosi? Are you okay?" Jack asked, head tilted and concern in his eyes. Legosi shook himself from the dread spiral, and nodded to his friend.

"So...there was an earthquake...Did anything else happen since I was out?" Legosi asked his friend, thinking back to Louis. "The Drama Club, do you know if everything is...um...okay?" Legosi tried not to sound weird asking all of this.

Luckily, Jack didn't seem to notice-he didn't seem happy either, though. His ears were drooped, and he shrunk into himself, looking like he was formulating an answer in his mind. His face looked troubled, and reluctant. Legosi knew what that expression meant, and he had a bad feeling.

Finally, Jack spoke, his voice solemn: "Legosi...another student in your club-Kai...he was found dead the morning after you got hurt."

Legosi's blood ran cold, a deep dread swelling up within him upon processing what Jack had just said. Despite knowing now that it had been several days, it was practically like he had just seen the weasel yesterday...and now he was dead.

"I'm sorry...were you two close?" Jack said.

Legosi didn't respond-in his mind, the image of Kai's anger-warped face flashed by...followed by the empty-eyed weasel mask of that thing he had seen that night. Horrible implications popped into his mind.

"...Legosi?"

The wolf was pulled back into reality, and he remembered what Jack had asked, shaking his head in response. "No, we didn't hang out or talk much...it's just surreal...so soon after Tem's death, too…" He said, now wondering about that incident as well in relation to the weird things that were happening to Him. "H-how did he…?" Legosi asked in a mutter.

"The police said it was a suicide-he drowned himself in the pond east of campus, somehow…"

That couldn't be-how does an animal drown themselves_ on purpose_? Legosi didn't like it, but he had a feeling that that monster he saw outside the theatre was somehow related. He didn't know how, exactly, but the coincidences were too obvious.

"I'm not sure about how the Drama Club is doing exactly-probably not so good considering they lost two members…" Jack said, sadness in his voice. "But the whole school feels more divided than ever now."

Legosi breathed out tiredly. "Let's talk about something else." He said, wanting to just get his mind off of everything for now-it was making his brain sting. As much as the wolf didn't want anything to do with it, he would have to figure out what was happening, considering he was now involved in it all. He thought back to the Velvet Room-that film in particular, as well as what those weird birds had told him.

_You must take on full responsibility for the decisions you make..._The weird voice of that Ibis whispered in his head, followed by the thought of that rabbit…

Shame washed over the wolf again. She must've been horrified by everything that had happened-he could recall the shock in her face, and the claw wound on her forearm...the thought of it weighed down on him. He couldn't just pretend he didn't do what he did to her. His momentary weakness nearly led to the death of an innocent herbivore. He couldn't hide away from such a sin.

_I need to apologize to her..._Legosi decided. He remembered her face pretty vividly-The round, dark eyes; her smell; her small, warm body; her soft fu-_Stop it. _He scolded himself. He would try and find her, and make everything right. Even if he might get in trouble for doing it, it was the right thing to do.

Alongside that, he was curious as to what the film meant...they said it predicted the future, somehow...that sounded insane, but everything about all this was insane. They also said that someone close to him was in danger. Legosi couldn't ignore that, even if it all somehow turned out to be nonsense.

"Let's go back to school." Legosi said, getting up from his bed-clad only in a blue hospital gown, which just barely covered up his large body. Jack looked away, pulling out some clothes he had for his friend from a bag he put underneath one of the chairs.

After getting dressed in private, Legosi and Jack boarded the bus back to the school grounds-arriving back on campus around just before seven P.M. The rain had cleared up on the way back, the sky now a mix of purple and yellow as the sun began to set, clashed against the dark-blue clouds that lingered after the storm. The walkways and paths were empty, strangely, despite how pretty the sky looked, although considering the sudden turn of events in the past week, perhaps it wasn't so bizarre for no one to be out before dark. Even Legosi began to pick up his pace as the gradually rolled in, Jack struggling to keep up with his friend's wide-strides on their way back to the dorms, until Legosi took him gently by the wrists to keep him safely by the wolf's side. Jack was perplexed by this, but went along with it, knowing it made his friend feel better, somehow.

Entering their dormitory lobby and entering the elevator, Legosi shook his head, wincing as he did so-his brain felt like an open sore: "Those headache pills they gave me are useless…" He whined.

"You probably should lay down for a while more, as crazy as that sounds." Jack suggests. While Legosi had a lot to catch up on, no doubt, but resting more didn't feel like a bad idea. It was pretty much night time anyway, and he wanted to get away from all the anxiety swirling around in his mind. The wolf nodded as the elevator pinged upon reaching the 3rd floor-where their dorm was situated.

Once the doors slid open, the tension in the air was palpable. In the 3rd floor TV room, several carnivores could be overheard gossiping about everything-tossing around rumors, conspiracies, and other assorted nasty comments regarding herbivores. Louis-senpai came up quite a bit in their conversation, Legosi could hear, which made him even more anxious.

The two headed straight to their room past the gossiping canines and other carnivores. They finally arrived to their room and closed the door behind them, shutting out the whole fiasco about Tem and Kai's deaths. Legosi felt like everything about it was making his head throb even worse than before. With everything that was going on, he wouldn't be surprised if his skull hatched like an egg.

Their dorm was empty except for the two of them-the others were doing a study group with other students in another dorm, Jack explained. Legosi nodded, honestly glad that the room would be quiet for a while, and walked to his cot, turning his head for a moment towards the plastic housing where Rhino-chan safely sat, chewing on a piece of banana. The wolf smiled-at least, with everything, Rhino was okay. It wasn't much at all of course, but it was a comfort.

Jack wished Legosi a good sleep as he plugged his earphones on and started playing a game on his Gamebone. Legosi nodded, and spread open the curtains and fell against the bedding, letting out a heavy breath of relief. His headache pains started to cease finally-pangs of hurt still lingering occasionally, but not as bad as it was on the way here. He started to finally calm down, his exhausted body giving in to the soft, quiet atmosphere. Legosi laid back into his cot, slowly drifting into a comfortable oblivion…

Only to open his eyes to a familiar crimson mist all around him, and the faint shape of a looming tower in the distance...


End file.
